Pins

Pins or Lapel Pins are small, usually metallic objects fastened to items of clothing or bags. The pins can be attached in a variety of methods, such as with the use of butterfly and jewellery clutches.

Pins are often used to denote the wearer’s attachment to a particular event, cause or activity.

Pins are highly collectible and rare specimens can often sell for considerable sums of money.

Sporting pins

Sporting events are some of the biggest sources for pins. The cyclical nature of these events ensures that there is a steady stream of pins on to the market.

Olympic pins

Both winter and summer Olympic Games have spawned a huge number of pins. These take the form of pins denoting the host country, such as Torino 2006 or Barcelona 1992, as well as pins produced by participating nations.

Nationalistic pins

Communist regimes such as the USSR were noted for the proliferation of pins. In China, it used to be common to see pins displayed depicting Chairman Mao. US flag pins are extremely popular in the US, especially among politicians.

Notable pins

Among the most expensive pins ever sold is an Olympic pin from the Salt Lake City 2002 Games. The pin contained 89 diamonds set in platinum and sold for $20,000 in 2002.

The most expensive Disney pins are thought to be the three jewelled Mickey Mouse pins produced for the Expedition: PINS event in 2008. Covered in 130 jewels they cost $1,295.